office for young people · BI-MONTHLY BULLETIN 1. Dear Young People of Singapore! Hello dear friends! It has been a busy and eventful time here at OYP since we last saw you. We held

IN THIS ISSUEUpcoming OYP EventsI. World Youth Day Pilgrimage 18th July to 3rd August 2016

II. Nox Gaudii 16th September 2016

III. Treasure#6 28th to 31st October 2016

FeaturesI. SOCL

II. Catholic Youth Day

III. A Word From Our Team

Around the DioceseI. Caritas Singapore - Social Mission Conference & Young Adults Mission Of Mercy Event 2016 Saturday, 13th August, Sunday, 14th August 2016 For more info, visit: www.caritas-singapore.org

II. Diocesan Vocation Discernment Retreat Theme: OPEN WIDE THE DOORS TO CHRIST 19th to 21st August 2016

Read on for more information.

ISSUE 18 | jULY 2016

office for young people B I - M O N T H L Y B U L L E T I N

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Dear Young People of Singapore!

Hello dear friends!

It has been a busy and eventful time here at OYP since we last saw you. We held our third School of Christian Leadership and after months of planning and hard work, Catholic Youth Day finally came to fruition and now, we are leaving for Poland!

We look forward to our pilgrimage and to experiencing the magnitude of the greater Church as we come together as one to worship our God. We ask for your prayers as we embark on our journey and we invite you to journey with us as we bring you updates from World Youth Day. Especially for those who cannot join in the pilgrimage, we invite you to unite yourselves with us in prayer. In our God, we are truly only a prayer away from each other!

As always, we pray that you will be blessed as you read on about what we’ve been up to and share with you about the marvelous things that the Lord has been doing in the lives of our dear young people!

In His Love,Anita and the team at OYP

Welcome!

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OFFICE FOR YOUNG PEOPLE BULLETIN Issue 18: July 2016

World Youth Day 2016: Krakow 18th July to 3rd August 2016

The Office for Young People will be leading a contingent of 170 pilgrims to the World Youth Day (WYD) 2016, in Krakow, Poland. Our contingent leaves for Krakow today!

For those of you who cannot make the pilgrimage with us, we invite you to partner with us through prayers for our contingent. We also invite you to follow us on our facebook page: Office for Young People and on instagram: oyp.sg as we’ll be posting updates on our adventures!

Nox Gaudii 16th September 2016

Our next Nox Gaudii will be held on 16th September, at the same time and same place. It will be our first Nox after returning from our pilgrimage to Krakow so mark your calendars and make sure not to miss it! As always, we also encourage you to invite a friend along. Just ask, you never know what will happen!

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“Try your best to enter by the narrow door, because, I tell you, many will try to enter and will not succeed.”

Come find out at our Diocesan Vocation Discernment Retreat. We’ll guide you and help you discern.

Theme: OPEN WIDE THE DOORS TO CHRISTDate: 19-21 August 2016Venue: Immaculate Heart of Mary Retreat House 46 Kovan RoadEligibility: Single male, aged 21-35 years oldRegistration: Parish office OR email: [email protected] OR [email protected]

Closing date is 12 August 2016 Organised by St Francis Xavier Major Seminary

Luke 13:24


Treasure#6 28th to 31st October 2016

Date: 28th to 31st October 2016Venue: Office for Young PeopleRegistration fee: $120.00Age Range: 21 to 35 years old

Dear friends, registration for Treasure#6 is now open. If you have been contemplating attending, now is the time to sign up! Please share this with your friends as well.

We look forward to meeting you and getting to know you!

To register, visit: oyp.org.sg/treasure6-oct2016

Diocesan Vocation Discernment Retreat 19th to 21st August 2016

School of Christian LeadershipSchool of Christian Leadership

Diocesan Vocation Discernment RetreatTheme: Open Wide the Doors to Christ Date: 19 to 21st August 2016Venue: Immaculate Heart of Mary Retreat House, 46 Kovan Road, Singapore

Eligibility: Single male, aged 21–35 years old

To register, please visit the parish office oremail: [email protected] [email protected]

Closing Date: 12 August 2016

Beautiful sisters in Christ

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Diocesan Vocation Discernment Retreat 19th to 21st August 2016

BY THIS ALL MEN WILL KNOW YOU ARE MY DISCIPLES IF YOU HAVE love. JN 13:35

The third School of Christian Leadership was held from 27th May to 4th June 2016.It was a blessed time to come away and re-connect with the Good Shepherd. Partici-pants and service team alike were impacted by these 9 days. Read on to learn more about their experiences!

School of Christian LeadershipSchool of Christian Leadership27th May to 4th June 2016

(pictured): Fr Jude David & Fr Brian D’Souza with School of Christian Leadership participants and service team

Beautiful sisters in Christ The all-important games time

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The school isn’t just for qualified leaders, I felt that they qualified leaders instead. Everyone is called to be a leader of the Church! - Celestine Yeo, 22, NUS

SOCL has helped me to rediscover my identity as a son of God. To know that I’m the beloved has helped me to grow in my faith and gain a deeper meaning of what living a true authentic Christian life is! - Christopher Ng, 24, NUS

PARTICIPANT TESTIMONIES

I came into the school feeling conflicted. I had just finished my exams when I en-tered the school and was feeling extremely stressed out. But as the school pro-gressed, I continuously felt the Holy Spirit filling the atmosphere and healing the brokenness inside of me. I felt my heart opening up day after day, and feeling and experiencing God in ways that I could never have imagined. I’ve also made many friends that I feel extremely blessed to be able to call my brothers and sisters in Christ. I’m re-ignited to share the love of God. Praise God and Amen!- Natalie Wong, 22, SIM

I remember as I began SOCL, my heart was filled with many apprehensions about the school, as well as anxieties and hurts that had recently resurfaced from the past as I struggled to bury them deep down again. As God would have it, He led me to this school. Through this experience, I’ve been challenged in more ways than one to face these fears and to relinquish the authority that I have been clinging to. But as I’ve learnt, Christ has conquered death. The continual process of unearthing my buried heart through this SOCL is only the beginning. - Mary Ann Lim, 21, NUS

pictured (from left): Shaun Liu (OYP) and Jeffrey Espehana (NUS) Participants chilling out in between sessions

Enjoying time as a cell group

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My SOCL experience has been eye opening and I received so much from the ses-sions and from ministering to the participants. This experience has taught me to go deeper in my faith, to continue to fall in love with Jesus everyday and to praise God even in my suffering. I have learnt to surrender my life to Jesus, to embrace the discomfort and uncertainties that may come as a disciple of Jesus.- Natasha Lee, 20, SMU

SERVICE TEAM TESTIMONIES

The school was a journey that I didn’t really expect. God was teaching me courage in the smallest to the biggest tasks from taking photos to playing in the worship team to being a facilitator. He kept drawing me out of hiding. I didn’t think I’d have much fear in performing my duties because these were things I would usually do. Somehow this time, there was a great sense of fear in not being able to do my job well. I also took on the helplessness and burdens of my cell group, feeling that I didn’t know how to help them. In the first few days, I realised it was because I forgot that I was not superman or brought there to save the day but rather just to be an in-strument of God. I needed only to be still because God had already won the battle. Jesus is the saviour, not me. It was a new experience in truly being helpless and not giving up but giving in to God and depending on Him. After that, I was more free to be a channel of God’s love. I was reminded of my promise from last year’s SOCL, “Here I am send me.” He was faithful and in turn drew out the faithfulness in me too. I’ve learnt so much about taking courage. It was scary but I gained victory in Him!- Michelle Png, 23, NTU

Serving in SOCL was a time and place for me to practice giving of myself in what-ever way I could. I am really grateful for this opportunity. It has reinforced the truth that my life is so much more than my own, to bring me out of my own myopic view of the Church and my individual concerns. I felt affirmed to see people slowly grow in openness to God during the school and that is a testimony of God’s spirit work-ing in the hearts of everyone involved. - Leonard Teo, NUS Alumni

Enjoying time as a cell group Fr Jude with our dear young people during skit night

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Once no people, now God ' s people.1 PETER 2:10

Catholic Youth Day was the result of many months of planning and hard work. The event itself was held from 2nd to 3rd July 2016 but it truly began weeks before as our many young people came alongside us to help prepare our premises, rehearse, set up and support us in a myriad of other ways. Our gratitude goes out to you our dear young friends. Your dedication, love and hard work are what make our dreams pos-sible. We invite you to read on for more!

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Once no people, now God ' s people.1 PETER 2:10

It felt great to be back at OYP. It feels like holy ground from where tremors of grace vibrate to the ends of Singapore and the world (soon it will be felt strongly in Poland!). After attending School of Witness in 2014, I could more or less recognise the faces of the peo-ple who would serve with OYP. These days, I can’t keep track! This shows the rich harvest that God has brought about. From the altar during mass, I could see the diversity of the young people who have been touched by God through your hands. What a sight to behold!

Praise God for His mighty works and I thirst to see what is in store for our Church next. In Him there are endless surprises and limitless possibilities. I am very blessed and priviliged to be a witness and also a co-labourer of the Lord’s harvest!

I was filled with joy and my prayer is that I may never desire less than this again.- Johannes Tjendro, 21, SMU

Testimony & Thanksgiving

(pictured above) Johannes Tjendro

Entrance procession during the celebration of the Eucharist Celebration of the Eucharist presided by His Grace Archbishop Goh

(third from top left) Johannes Tjendro and our beautiful CYD mass choir led by choirmistress Cheryl Lek (first from bottom right)

Young people having fun during CYD9

Our young people bringing joy through the medium of dance A powerful story of grace told through “The Centurion” mime

Natalie Yap from SOW 2014 sharing about the love of the Lord through

spoken word

The procession of the Blessed Sacrament as the vigil begins

Our young people praying during the night vigil Ending the night vigil with morning praise10


Q3) If you had to pick just one dish that you had to eat for the rest of your life, what would it be?This is tough. Probably something from Ci Yuan Hawker Centre (which we frequent) like the duck rice! It’s the dish I’ve eaten the most.

Q4) What is your favourite way to relax?Music! Whether it’s listening to 8tracks or playing the keyboard, music has a way of changing the mood and letting me chill. Alas, such moments are shortlived! However, spending time with Jesus is even better, and its something I get to do everyday at OYP!

Q5) What will you take with you as you leave OYP?I will take with me the lessons of trusting in God when called to serve ( even when I’m most unprepared!). I’ve really grown in ways I did not expect and I’m particularly thankful for the faith OYP has in me to do the things I do not have a track record in.

Bennett Lee, 22, SUTD

Q1) What made you decide to volunteer at OYP?I received a lot spiritually when I attended SOCL 2015 and wanted to give back in some way. Having an optional internship period gave me the chance to volunteer at OYP and the rest is history!

Q2) What gives you the most joy in your work at OYP?The closeness to Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament and in people. The focus is very much on something more than ourselves when we do even the most mundane things, like scraping peeling paint from the walls. Meeting new people also brings alot of new friendships and gives OYP a sense of newness everday.

A WORD FROM OUR TEAM

Benett (pictured above)

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Q3) If you had to pick just one dish that you had to eat for the rest of your life, what would it be?Can I choose Zhi char? If not, a good bowl of dry beef noodles.

Q4) What is your favourite way to relax?Sun, sand and sea!

Q5) What will you take with you as you leave OYP?The joy of working for Christ and being amongst lovely people who are passionate for Jesus.

Desmond Foo, 30

Q1) What made you decide to volunteer at OYP?I first got to know OYP from Treasure#1 and have always found joy serving at OYP. It is truly a place where the peace and joy of the Lord resides. I decided to take a break from work and my wife and I dis-cerned that it would be best if I could use my free time to serve the Lord. There was no place better for me to do so than at OYP.

Q2) What gives you the most joy in your work at OYP?To see the hand of God working in the lives of many who come to OYP and witnessing His multiplication of our five loaves and two fish.


Desmond (pictured above) hard at work

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Q2) What gives you the most joy in your work at OYP?The most joy I have experienced in my work at OYP is in the spirit of giving. I find that often, God calls us to do great things in small ways. Even though some tasks were physically demanding, I happily looked forward to going back to it everyday. One even-ing, after a Living Ark session, one of the members said,”Did you guys notice the new signs on the doors? Especially the men’s! Wow so beautiful!” It was then that I realised my small actions had made someone else happy. That made me really happy too!

Q3) If you had to pick just one dish that you had to eat for the rest of your life, what would it be?The one dish I would pick is my favourite called Babi Cincang. It literally translates to ‘pig chop chop’. It is a dish made up of chopped potatoes, carrots, onions, and minced pork which is then sautéed in black sauce with star anise and cinnamon stick for fra-grance. This dish is my number one comfort food and one that I look forward to eating every time I come home.

Q4) What is your favourite way to relax?My favourite way to relax is to lie on a hammock at the park or somewhere quiet. My Saturday afternoons spent on a hammock are usually with a book. Sometimes when it gets too comfortable, I fall asleep!

Q5) What will you take with you as you leave OYP?Of the many lessons I learnt at OYP, the greatest is that of trust. I see great trust in the Lord being embodied in everyone who passes through OYP and I see it especially in the staff. It takes great courage to trust in the Lord both in the good times and the bad. And so I remind myself that God’s grace is sufficient for me. If all I have is God’s grace, then I have all I need.

Matthew Ng, 24, SITQ1) What made you decide to volunteer at OYP?It was a series of decisions that led to my saying yes. It started with a thought to myself in jest that I would intern at OYP if my applications to intern at research institutions were unsuccessful. But the more I thought about it, the more it weighed on my mind as a possibility. I was uncertain so I shared the idea with Father Jovita, and he replied that he felt it was a good idea because the experience would enrich me more greatly than an internship elsewhere. In turn, I found a place that has enriched my soul.


Matthew (left) in action picturedwith Jeff Espehana

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Office for Young People2 Lorong Low Koon, Singapore 536449

W www.oyp.org.sg

T 6285 2571 | 6286 0341

Facebook Page: Office for Young People

Instagram: oyp.sg

For enquiries, please email us at: [email protected]


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office for young people · BI-MONTHLY BULLETIN 1. Dear Young People of Singapore! Hello dear friends! It has been a busy and eventful time here at OYP since we last saw you. We held